A TOTAL of 29 stainless steel trays disappeared at a time a new morgue is being constructed at Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital in a typical one step forward and two backwards scenario.
A cursory internet search revealed that the value of the stolen trays is around US$10 000.
Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital’s public relations officer, Mrs Faustina Mutasa confirmed the theft of the mortuary trays and said the matter was reported to the police.
“The matter was reported to the police for them to assist us with investigations. The motive of the theft is unknown,” responded Mrs Mutasa to questions from The Manica Post.
However, efforts to get a comment on the progress of the investigations from the police were fruitless as Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Nobert Muzondo could neither confirm nor deny having received the report.
He insisted that they were yet to locate the case file.
The Manica Post understands that the exact date of the theft is not known as their disappearance was only noticed sometime just before the Christmas holidays.
Suspicion is rife that this could be an inside job that involves high profile people at the referral hospital, considering the size of the trays and the number stolen.
Investigations done by this newspaper, which involved engaging members of staff at the medical referral institution, revealed that the theft of the mortuary trays is most probably an inside job.
It is believed that the trays found their way to stainless steel pot makers.
Refurbishment of the Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital mortuary is ongoing as the old structure could only accommodate 10 bodies at a time.
Apparently, this is not the only theft case that has happened at Victoria Chitepo Hospital of late.
The latest incident comes hard on the heels of the theft of 30 vials of pethidine — a controlled drug used in pain management.
